**aka your favorite Mid-West-Coaster**
Congrats on making it to my page!
5 years ago I fell in love with photography through my love for both art and socializing. My profession is more than just adjusting a few buttons; it’s about the relationships I form while doing so. I love people. I consider every shoot I book to be its own personal adventure. The opportunity to preserve your special memories for you to look back on for the rest of your life is so rewarding and so humbling. It’s why I do what I do :)
Some context about me: I was born and raised in Cleveland, went to school/ have family in Phoenix, and live in (well...pay rent in) Los Angeles today. Feel free to keep scrolling to keep learning more about what being @madewithmara is like!
When we are shooting together, the only thing that I'm inspired by is you. Nothing I create is executed to fit in a box. When I'm creating, all I think about is how to capture the way a moment feels. Let's document the real sh*t.
* My personality is much bigger than I am. (5 feet of fun!)
* I'm a big fashion girlie. I loooove contributing to outfit selections!
* Expect me to be both your personal assistant & paparazzi during our time together.
* Awkward doesn’t exist in my world. Don’t know what to do with your hands? I gotchu.
* I may or may not try to make you laugh by saying something cringy.
* I pay close attention to detail. No stray hair will be sticking up on my watch!
* The email with your polished gallery shouldn’t be the last time we hear from each other. Never hesitate to reach out. Every experience I share with my clients is unique in its own way and I cherish every single one!
When I'm not taking photos I'm usually walking my dog down Fairfax blvd drooling over the new sneaker drop on my walk to the Israeli market. I may lose hours getting distracted by the vintage-street stores, but don't worry I'll get back to my editing ASAP. In the meantime I'll probably be bopping to some old Kid Cudi while sipping my overpriced matcha. I love to explore different cafes and restaurants and would love for you to join me!
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Growing up, I was an avid sleep-away camp girl. While I loved camp, I’m not quite sure camp loved me. I’d often put my counselors in a panic as I was known to disappear. I would lose all track of time taking photos of my friends goofing off in our most sacred place. The nostalgic scenes that we created are some of my favorite moments that I get to relive every time I rediscover the photo albums tucked away both in my parent’s home and on my Facebook wall.
My eye for photography grew with me; and I began branching out from my hideout in the woods. Before graduating from high school, I graduated from using my little red Kodak point and shoot. With my new DSLR, I spent my month-long senior project as a second-hand photographer for high-end weddings. It wasn’t long until my camera became an extension of my eye.
After living in Israel the year after high school, I was given the incredible opportunity to work for a couple of news outlets while pursuing my degree in photojournalism at Arizona State (forks uppp). I loved creating content, interacting with people in their natural surroundings and sharing their stories. But in some ways, I felt like my creativity was limited. There were too many rules. As a free-spirit, I wanted to use my own aesthetic flare to tell a story based on an occurrence’s aura. I wanted you to feel like you were there. However, an emotional experience is not the priority of news. I decided that working in a newsroom was not a career path for me, but maybe my side-hustle was. This “side-hustle” (of taking senior and family portraits and working private events independently) took strides. Preserving your memories is what I’ve grown to live for. I already possess the luxury of having the skills, education and equipment to document my own life. Let me share that luxury with you!
Mara did an amazing job scouting location and timing for best lighting based off our photoshoot ideas/preferences. She had multiple cameras + extensions to get different photos. She did an AMAZING job posing me and my boyfriend, as well as making the photoshoot fun. She’s great with people and it makes the process so enjoyable. She’s excellent at capturing candids as well as true editorial shots. I would highly recommend her work to anyone. She is great to work with, and I received my photos in a short turnaround period!
If you’re looking for a professional, experienced photographer with an eye for detail and the ability to capture a candid moment with a bit of humor thrown in, I would 100% recommend Mara. Mara’s unique use of light and gorgeous tones make any photo look like it was shot in a beautiful movie.
Mara’s bubbly and inspiring personality created a relaxed environment which allowed me to not only have fun during our session but also to be my authentic self. During our session, Mara was constantly encouraging me and giving me the self-confidence I needed. Not only is Mara passionate about her work, but she is also passionate about her clients as she does everything she can to make her clients feel beautiful and alive.